The present invention relates to a new and improved cartridge feeding or infeed apparatus for an automatic firearm or firing weapon.
In its more specific aspects, the present invention relates to a new and improved construction of a cartridge feeding or infeed apparatus for an automatic firearm or firing weapon containing a cartridge infeed channel or feedway, one side wall of which comprises an appropriately configured slot extending parallel to the lengthwise axis of the firearm. A cartridge which is present in the cartridge infeed channel or feedway and which is to be pushed into the weapon barrel by means of the breechblock partially projects into the slot. Cartridge infeed means are provided for feeding the cartridge into the slot and for holding the same therein.
In a cartridge feeding apparatus of this kind as known, for example, from Swiss Pat. No. 579,763, German Pat. No. 2,521,034 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,467, there is present a conveyor channel or passage, the side wall of which contains a slot which extends parallel to the lengthwise axis of the gun. A cartridge which is present in the conveyor channel or passage and which is to be pushed into the gun barrel by means of the breechblock partially extends into the slot. Two guiding arms of cartridge infeed means press the aforementioned cartridge perpendicularly with respect to the cartridge conveying direction and towards the aforementioned slot by means of a spring. On the sides of the guiding arms located opposite to the cartridge there is arranged a pivotable latch or pawl containing a cam with a control surface which serves to operate the latch. By means of this latch the guiding arms are backed-up while the cartridge is pushed-in.
The aforementioned known cartridge infeed apparatus has the following disadvantages. Only very little time is available for feeding the cartridge into the aforementioned slot. The cartridge only can be inserted into that slot when the breechblock is located at the region of its rearmost position. Only as long as the breechblock is located to the rear of the cartridge can the cartridge be inserted into the slot in such a manner that it is reliably engaged by the breechblock head and inserted into the gun barrel. However, the higher the firing rate or firing cadence of the firearm, the shorter is the time available for bringing the cartridge into the desired position. Thus, under these circumstances it is insufficient for proper operation of the weapon that two guiding arms press the cartridge perpendicular to the cartridge conveying direction and towards the aforementioned slot by means of a spring. The acceleration forces required to displace the cartridge in such a short period of time are too large, so that even a powerful spring no longer suffices.